Is the Internet Still a Public Good? - Episode 1 of Unbuffered

The inaugural Unbuffered podcast marks a strategic rebrand for the Institute for Local Self‑Reliance, expanding beyond community broadband to examine the internet as a public good. Hosts highlight recent Pew findings that 54% of adults under 30 view data centers as environmentally harmful, while half of U.S. adults say AI heightens their concerns more than their excitement. These perceptions underscore a growing skepticism toward the invisible infrastructure powering digital services and the rapid rollout of general‑purpose technologies.

A central theme of the episode is the regulatory vacuum surrounding privacy and algorithmic control. The United States still lacks a comprehensive national privacy law, leaving consumers exposed to data collection and surveillance. Panelists critique the Federal Communications Commission’s limited authority and point to a patchwork of state‑level initiatives—such as digital equity and privacy bills—to impose needed guardrails. They argue that the real problem lies not in technology itself but in the algorithms that prioritize engagement over user welfare, amplifying misinformation and bias.

To counter these challenges, the discussion emphasizes media and technology literacy as essential business competencies. Teaching users to adjust default settings, understand algorithmic bias, and diversify information sources can mitigate the harmful effects of platform design. Meanwhile, policymakers and industry leaders are urged to adopt structural ownership models and robust antitrust enforcement to ensure the internet remains a shared resource rather than a profit‑driven monopoly. By fostering informed digital citizenship and supportive legislation, the episode suggests a pathway to preserve the internet’s public‑good character while enabling sustainable innovation.